Apparatus for drying plates of various sorts



- F. 'r. POWERS I v APPARATUS FOR DRYING PLATES OF VARIOUS SORTS INVENTOR.

WITNESSES (24 awe/1 Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

FRANK T. POW/TEES, 0F DOUGLASTON, NEW YORY.

APPARATUS FOR DRYIILG. PLATES OE VARIOUS SORTS.

Application fi1ed June 29, 1922.

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK T. Pownns, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Douglaston, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improven'ients in Apparatus for Drying Plates of Various Sorts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the novel and improved apparatus for drying plates of various sorts but more particularly the plates of metal used in the photo-mechanical printing art. It is intended for use in the process of making photo-engraving plates of metal and the like.

One object of my invention is to reduce the time and labor required to dry the plate and another object is to insure perfect drying whereby there is eliminated the possibility, which is ever present when hand methods of drying are used, of the operator leaving one or more drops of water adhering to the plate after he has attempted to dry it.

A further object is to render unnecessary any excessive handling of the plate by the operator or turning of the plate in order to dry it, by making the process of drying a quick and simple process involving few movements or motions by the operator.

Still another object of my invention is tomake the drying process so uniform and similar for all plates that greater uniformity of results are attained.

Still another object is to leave the plate at the end of the drying operation warm and ready for the succeeding step in the process.

Other advantages and special features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of one of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing is shown a perspective of the apparatus with portions cut away to give a view of portions which would otherwise be concealed.

Referring in detail to the parts of the preferred embodiment shown: 1 is a supporting framework which carries two rollers 2, 2, havin surfaces of an absorbent or drying material 3, 3, and which rotate on shafts 4, 4. The frame 1 also carries two smaller rollers 5, 5, provided with driving gears 5, 5 simi- Serial No. 571,838.

one of rollers 5. Beneath rollers 2 is a gas burner, 14, disposed lengthwise of the apparatus, and a baffle plate, 1.1, above the gas burner 1 i prevents excessive heat from the burner 14. from overheating and damaging roller 2. Along sides of rollers 2, 2, are shields 12, 12, 12, 12, with a vent 13 at the top.

011 one side of the apparatus adjacent to chain 9, and sprocket 10. The surplus liquid on the plate is removed while passing between these rollers 5, 5. The plane of contact between rollers 5, 5, is at the same level as the plane of contact of rollers 2, 2. Between rollers 5, 5, and rollers 2, 2, is located supporting guide 13, upon which the plate rests and is thus directed to the proper pointof entry between rollers 2, 2.

As the plate advances between rollers 5, 5, it enters the contact plane between rollers 2, 2, and the remaining moisture adhering to the partly dried plate is removed by absorpt1on upon coming into forcible contact with the hot absorbent covering 3, 3, of the rollers 2, 2.

The ratio of the diameter of the sprocket 8 to the diameter of the sprocket 10 is the same as the ratio of the diameter of the rollers 2, 2, to the rollers 5, 5, so that the peripheral speed of the two pairs of rollers, 2, 2, and 5, 5, are identical and the action of these rollers on the plate is one of pressure only and without any rubbing of the rollers against the plate. On the discharge side of the rollers 2, 2, is arranged a shelf or support 15 on to which the plate is discharged as it leaves the rollers 2, 2.

By this means a plate is dried thoroughly, evenly and without the attendant liability to injury present in the usual manual method of drying now in vogue.

Having thus described the important features of my invention and one of the many possible forms in which the invention may be utilized, I now state what I believe to be new and novel and upon which I desire to secure Letters Patent:

1. A plate drying device for photo-mechanical process plates including drying rollers of water-absorbent material having their axes in fixed relative positions, with means for rotating said rollers.

2. A plate drying device for photo-mechanical process plates including drying rollers having a water-absorbent surface, having their axes in fixed relative positions, with means for rotating said rollers.

3. A plat-e drying device for photo-mechanical process plates including drying rollers of watcr-absorbent material, means for rotating said rollers and means for applying heat to said rollers.

4-. A plate drying device for photo-mechanical process plates including rollers covered with a water-absorbent material, means for rotating said rollers and means for applying; heat to said rollers.

5. A plate drying device for photo-mechanical process plates including rollers having a surface of water-absorbent mate rial, means for feeding plates between said rollers.

6. A plate drying device for photo-mechanical process plates including rollers hav ing a surface of water-absorbent material, a second pair of rollers, means for rotating said second pair of rollers to cause a plate to pass between the first mentioned roller 7. A plate drying device for photo-mechanical process plates including rollers having a surface of water-absorbent material, a second pair of rollers, means for rotating both pairs of rollers at the same peripheral speed to cause a plate to pass between the two pairs of rollers successively.

8. A plate drying device for photo-me chanical process plates including rollers having a surface of water-absorbent material, means for feeding a plate between said rollers and means for heating the surface of said rollers.

9. A plate drying device for photo-mechanical process plates including rollers having a surface 01 water-absorbent material, asecond pair of rollers, means for rotating both pairs of rollers at the same peripheral speed to cause a plate to pass between the two pairs of rollers successively, and means for heating the first mentioned pair 0t rollers.

- Signed at New York in the county of New York and Sta e of New York, this first day of March A. D. 1922.

FRANK T. POWERS. 

